Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | August 19, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 1992–2003 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 54:45 | |||
Label | Iceman | |||
Producer |
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Onyx chronology | ||||
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Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 is a compilation album by American hardcore rap group Onyx released on August 19, 2008, by Iceman Music Group. This compilation contains singles and lost studio recordings from the group's albums.
The album was produced by Jam Master Jay, Fredro Starr, Kronic Tones, Dominche, Self and Keith Horne. The album features guest appearances from Method Man, X1 , Panama P.I., Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Tha Gambler, D.V. Alias Khrist, All City, Still Livin', Gang Green, Whosane and Chocolate.
After conquering Hollywood, Onyx return to the scene, emerging from their musical vaults with a new album, Cold Case Files, a 16-track collection of previously unreleased songs executive produced by the members of Onyx and Omar "Iceman" Sharif. The collection features underground singles, lost studio recordings from the group's first three albums, and appearances from Method Man, deceased Onyx affiliate X1, and Gang Green. According to the group, revisiting these sessions also served as a tribute to fallen soldiers Jam Master Jay, X1, Big DS, and all Onyx affiliates who have passed away in the last five years; some of which are still unsolved murders. [1]
Fredro's younger brother, Whosane, archived most of the unreleased tracks. Sonny Seeza, who served as album supervisor shares, "Whosane was usually in the studio with us and kept all our classic recordings that never made it onto albums in the Onyx music vault; so when the time came to select tracks for Cold Case Files, he had tracks that we didn't even know existed on everything from cassettes, DATs, CDs to 2-inch reels. [2] According to Fredro Starr, Onyx has at least 60 tracks, and this is just the first volume of unheard material. [3] DJ Infinite, one of Fredro's good friends, came up with the idea to make this album: [4]
"...We wanted to put something out for the fans, especially the true Onyx fans. DJ Infinite, one of my good friends and associates came up with the idea of doing this album and putting out some of these tracks. So my brother Whosane had the cassettes and the DATs saved from back in the days and we just transferred all that into the digital age and now you got the Cold Case album."
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
HipHopDX | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rate Your Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
UG Rap | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
BoomBapReviews | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
RomanCooper of HipHopDX gave the album three stars out of five, saying "...This album is easily worth copping – if you’re an Onyx fan. If you’re not familiar with their music, you’d be much better served scooping up either Bacdafucup or All We Got Iz Us. Cold Case Files doesn’t really manage to distinguish itself from common issues associated with compilation albums. That being said, even cuts that didn’t make Onyx‘s albums manage to bring you back to the gritty early 1990s. With a gem or two nestled among these tracks, fans of that sound may want to check this." [11]
# | Title | Featured guest(s) | Producer(s) | Samples | Length | Year |
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01. | «U.S.G.» | Jam Master Jay | 0:15 | 1992 | ||
02. | «Ghetto Way Of Thinking» | Fredro Starr | 4:40 | 1995 | ||
03. | «O.N.Y.X.» | Kronic Tones Dominche (co-producer) |
| 3:21 | 2003 | |
04. | «See U In Hell Pt. 2 (Freestyle)» | X1 |
| 3:22 | 1998 | |
05. | «Evil Streets (Remix)» | Method Man & Panama P.I. | Fredro Starr |
| 4:13 | 1994 |
06. | «Rock U» | Fredro Starr | 4:14 | 1996 | ||
07. | «Hydro» | Keith Horne | 3:06 | 1996 | ||
08. | «Purse Snatchaz Pt. 2» | Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Tha Gambler & D.V. Alias Khrist | Fredro Starr |
| 3:32 | 1994 |
9. | «Wili’n Wili’n» | All City, X1 & Still Livin' | 4:08 | 1998 | ||
10. | «See You In Hell (Freestyle)» |
| 3:39 | 1997 | ||
11. | «I’ll Murda U (Remix)» | Gang Green | Fredro Starr |
| 3:43 | 1995 |
12. | «Mad World» | Whosane & X1 | Self | 4:16 | 1997 | |
13. | «I Don’t Want To Die» | Chocolate | Keith Horne |
| 3:47 | 1997 |
14. | «Return Of The Madface» | Kronic Tones |
| 3:22 | 2003 | |
15. | «Candy Man» | X1 | Fredro Starr |
| 2:12 | 1995 |
16. | «Hard To Be A Thug» | Sticky Fingaz | 3:09 | 1999 | ||
Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 adapted from AllMusic and CD booklet. [12] [13]
Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | August 10, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 1993–1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 66:51 | |||
Label | Major Independents | |||
Producer |
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Onyx chronology | ||||
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Cold Case Files Vol. 2 is a compilation album by American hip hop group Onyx released on August 10, 2012 by Major Independents. [14] Physical copies became available on January 23, 2014. [15] The album contained unreleased tracks from the group's first three albums, Bacdafucup, All We Got Iz Us and Shut 'Em Down.
The album was produced by Keith Horne, Onyx, 8-Off Assassin, 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) and Jam Master Jay. The album features guest appearances from Naughty By Nature, Biggie Smalls, 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West), Gang Green (X1, Sife, Still Livin'), All City (Greg Valentine), Jared "Choclatt" Crawford и Tracy "Sunshiine" Woodall.
One of the main findings of this collection was the never released before track "Flip Dat Shit". In January 1993, at the recording studio The Hit Factory in NYC, rappers Naughty By Nature, Onyx, Chyskillz, Jam Master Jay, Biggie Smalls, Puff Daddy and producer/rapper Jesse West (also known as 3rd Eye) joined together to record a track "Flip That Shit" special for the soundtrack to the new movie "Who's the Man?". Many years later, fans were still able to hear the track "Flip That Shit" thanks to DJ JS1, who passed this digitized tape to Sticky Fingaz, who added this track to the collection of unreleased songs of Onyx's "Cold Case Files Vol. 2"
The track "To All Ya'll Crews, Whatever", which was not included on the album "All We Got Iz Us", was leaked on Onyx's website in CD quality on March 22, 2016. Earlier, this track was released on Cold Case Files Vol. 2 in poorly digitized cassette quality.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Rate Your Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
BoomBapReviews | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
BOOM BAP REVIEWS gave this release a good response saying "The important thing is that Onyx actually took the bold step and we're here now with yet another Onyx collection that appealed. So, is it any good? The very nature of this project should be a godsend to Onyx fans. Plus, for the assholes out there, they're simply telling you to buy it for free. And besides, 6 crap songs out of 16 is still a bargain, right? Right?!". [19]
# | track | featured guest(s) | producer(s) | sample(s) | length | year |
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01. | "Set It Str8" | X1 & Sife (a.k.a. Certified from Gang Green) |
| 3:55 | 1997 | |
02. | "Kidz From Queens" | Still Livin' |
| 3:41 | 1995 | |
03. | "Bring It" (also known as "Hey!") (The Philadelphia Flyers half time anthem) | Keith Horne |
| 4:02 | 1998 | |
04. | "Hi Hoe" |
| 3:03 | 1997 | ||
05. | "Crime Stories" |
| 4:41 | 1997 | ||
06. | "Punk Motherfukaz" (Full Length) | Onyx; 8-Off Assassin (co-producer) |
| 4:40 | 1995 | |
07. | "To All Ya'll Crews, Whatever" | Onyx |
| 3:20 | 1995 | |
08. | "Anything Goes" | Onyx |
| 3:20 | 1997 | |
9. | "Give It All You Got" | Greg Valentine |
| 3:43 | 1999 | |
10. | "Flip Dat Shit" | Naughty By Nature, Biggie Smalls and 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) | 3rd Eye |
| 4:10 | 1993 |
11. | "Pussy On The Regular" | Keith Horne |
| 4:03 | 1997 | |
12. | "Take That" (Full Version) | Keith Horne |
| 4:03 | 1996 | |
13. | "Raze It Up" (Demo version with different lyrics) | Keith Horne |
| 4:03 | 1996 | |
14. | "Love Of Money '96" (Unreleased rock version with different lyrics) | X1 & Chocolate |
| 4:55 | 1996 | |
14b. | "You Must Be Outta Your Mind" | X1 & Sunshine | 3:44 | 1997 | ||
15. | "We Comin' Thru Ya'll" (a similar beat was used later on "Ghetto Starz") | Keith Horne |
| 3:57 | 1997 | |
16. | "Walk In New York" (Jam Master Jay original "working" version with different beat and some different lyrics) | Jam Master Jay | 3:18 | 1995 | ||
Notes:
Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 adapted from CD booklet. [21]
Onyx is an American hardcore hip hop group from South Jamaica, Queens, New York City, formed in 1988 by Fredro Starr, Suavé and the late Big DS. Sticky Fingaz joined the group in 1991.
Bacdafucup is the debut album by American hip hop group Onyx, released on March 30, 1993, by JMJ Records, Rush Associated Labels and Chaos Recordings. The album was produced by Randy Allen, Chyskillz, Jam Master Jay and Kool Tee.
All We Got Iz Us is the second album by American hip hop group Onyx, released on October 24, 1995, by JMJ Records and Rush Associated Labels. The album was produced by Onyx. The album features guest appearances from rap group All City and rapper from Queens, Panama P.I.
Shut 'Em Down is the third album by American hip hop group Onyx, released on June 2, 1998, by JMJ Records and Def Jam. The album was produced by Keith Horne and Self, with help from DJ Scratch of EPMD, Bud'da and Latief. The album features guest appearances from Onyx's affiliate X1, DMX, a then-unknown 50 Cent, Still Livin from Gang Green, All City, Mr. Cheeks, Wu-Tang Clan, N.O.R.E., Big Pun and others.
Bacdafucup: Part II is the fourth album from rap group Onyx, released on July 9, 2002, by Koch Records. The album was produced by Davinci, DR Period, Havoc, Self, Ant Boogie, Co-Stars, Scott Storch. The album features appearances by American rappers X1, Still Livin', Versatile, Platinum Plus and Felisa Marisol.
Triggernometry is the fifth album from hardcore rap group Onyx, released on July 22, 2003, by D3 Entertainment. The whole album was produced by Kronic Tones. The album features appearances by American rappers T Hussle, Genovese, Begetz, X1, Bad Luck, Dirty Getinz. The album peaked at No. 66 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums music chart.
Fred Lee Scruggs Jr., better known by his stage name Fredro Starr, is an American rapper and actor best known as a member of the hardcore rap group Onyx. Fredro Starr was discovered by the late hip hop star Jam Master Jay of Run-D.M.C. who signed Onyx on his label JMJ Records. Onyx went on to release three top selling albums before Fredro began his solo career. As a part of Onyx, Fredro Starr was nominated as "Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist" on American Music Awards of 1994 and won "Best Rap Album" on 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.
Kirk Jones, better known by his stage name Sticky Fingaz, is an American rapper, record producer and actor best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx.
Decade: "...but wait it gets worse" is the second studio album by Onyx member Sticky Fingaz, released on April 29, 2003 by D3 Entertainment. The album is the follow-up to Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones.
Tyrone Taylor, better known by his stage name Sonny Seeza, or previously as Suavé and Sonsee, is an American rapper, record producer, DJ and actor best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx.
Marlon G. Fletcher, better known under his stage name Big DS, was an American rapper and record producer from Queens, New York.
"React" is a song by American hip hop group Onyx. It was released on June 2, 1998 by JMJ Records, Rush Associated Labels and Def Jam as the third single from Onyx's third album, Shut 'Em Down. The song featured Onyx affiliates X1, Bonifucco and Still Livin' and then-unknown 50 Cent in his first official appearance on a song.
"Shifftee" is a song by American hip hop group Onyx. It was released on August 30, 1993 by JMJ Records, Rush Associated Labels and Chaos Recordings as the third single from Onyx's debut album, Bacdafucup. The song was about being grimy and having that echo into a myriad of life situations.
"Live Niguz", also known by its censored title "Live!!!" is a song by American hip hop group Onyx. It was released on July 18, 1995 by Def Jam, Rush Associated Labels and JMJ Records as a single from Def Jam's The Show: The Soundtrack and as the first single from Onyx's second album, All We Got Iz Us.
"The Worst" is a song by American hip hop groups Onyx and Wu-Tang Clan. It was released on December 23, 1997 by Tommy Boy as a single from Tommy Boy Records's Ride and as the first single from Onyx's third album, Shut 'Em Down.
"Shut 'Em Down" is a song by American hip hop group Onyx. It was released on February 3, 1998, by Def Jam and JMJ Records as the second single from Onyx's third album, Shut 'Em Down. The song featured labelmate DMX.
Black Rock is the seventh album by American rap group Onyx, released on February 16, 2018, via X-Ray Records. The whole album was produced by 18-year-old Slovenian producer Emiljo Albert Cassagrande. The album features appearances by American rappers Optimus, Skyzoo, R.A. the Rugged Man, Sick Flo, Snak the Ripper and DJ Nelson
The discography of Sticky Fingaz, American hardcore rapper, record producer, actor, film director, film editor and writer, best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx, consists of 2 solo studio albums, 2 compilation albums, 3 soundtrack albums, 13 singles.
The discography of American hardcore rapper Sonny Seeza, best known as a member of multi-platinum hardcore rap group Onyx, consists of two solo studio albums, one compilation album, eleven soundtrack albums, one international project, four singles, and two music videos.
Bruce David Sandlin, better known by his stage name X1, was an American rapper best known in the 1990s as a member of Gang Green and affiliated with Onyx.